Irish black metallers Beithíoch return with new mini album Summoning the Past.

Summoning the Past consists mostly of updated versions of old tracks, that until now never quite felt fully realised, and is intended to showcase how the band has matured stylistically since its early days playing raw ambient metal.

I can't agree. It's background music; there's a good reason classical doesn't accept soundtrack as part of its canon. However, it's good for what it is, in part because it's derivative. I normally don't like the songwriter's work either but I think in this case Peter Jackson browbeat him into effectiveness.

That surprises me, normally wouldn't expect you to accept 'background music' as an excuse for something being half-assed.

Film soundtrack is not really high art; even still, here it could've been done better.

Its saccharine and repetitive; a handful of cheap emotional cues recycled verbatim over the course of 9 or so hours (?) of film. Only way to keep the proles reminded that its the same story they're watching, maybe.

I don't know what the story is in America but over here things like this seem to devour big chunks of orchestra's concert series programs; because the state funding bodies they live off expect them to do things to keep the idiots satisfied ("come see the music of the movies!!"). Seems a waste of great talent, and I can imagine a lot of amazing orchestral musicians getting very bored doing this.

Highland pipes are a fucking menace. They're not musical instruments they're instruments of torture.Anyone who gets misty eyed about them has obviously never been in close proximity with them. Uilleann pipes and Northumbrian pipes are alright; only problem is, most of the music written for them sucks.

Social conditions probably aren't right for producing anything but hobby bands (too many shitheads with too much input, too many distractions). Will have to wait for metal to be forgotten about for a few decades, then to be picked up again in a future desert-earth without the internet.

- Stop theorising, start acting. Stop over-thinking and just create. This forum's users are too fond of polemics on how things should be/the future of metal/etc (me included; I'm not going to pass on my share of the blame).

This'll get a bit tangential but it all serves the main point, which is an argument FOR bands:

- Start working on stuff and you'll learn that its handy to work in a known format/niche because it means people can understand the language you're speaking, you'll find an audience and the thrust of your presentation will be intelligible. Bands are the norm in metal, much of the cultural machinery of the genre ties into the band format. eg: One man shows don't get gigs (thats for djs and acoustic singer-songwriters - not metal musicians) - making them less desirable to the labels/people who have money and take their music to a proper audience; they aren't impossible to make a success, but theres a reason why most of them are never more than bedroom-bm bands no ones really hears of (or glorified bedroom-bm like Xasthur and Leviathan).

- All functioning bands, even shitty rock bands, have a single, dominant creative/dictatorial force behind them, the ones that don't fall apart because everyone pulls in their own direction. Group-think bands last about five minutes, they survive beyond that when one person elects themselves king-dick and takes over deciding most of what needs to be done. Democracy is a pleasant falsehood.

- Division of labour: even if you are the main song-writer its unlikely you'll be any good at doing everything. So unless you've a simple vision in mind expect the execution to be either permanently unsatisfactory or extremely arduous. eg: Its helpful to have a drummer who knows his shit, roughly knows what you're looking for and doesn't have to be shown every single pattern/fill.

Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion/Morbid Tales/Satanic RitesAutopsy - Mental Funeral/Severed SurvivalBlack Sabbath - first five albumsTherion - Beyond SanctorumIncantation - Onwards to GolgothaAt the Gates - The Red in the Sky is oursVarathron - His Majesty at the SwampsMassacra - Final HolocaustMorbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick/Altars of MadnessBurzum - first two albumsDarkthrone - Soulside Journey/Goatlord (instrumental version usually)Sepultura - first five releasesSlayer - first five releasesSinister - Cross the Styx/Diabolical Summoning

Metal hardly makes up 20% of what I listen to these days, the rest is just Bach with occasional Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn.

Stuff I 'should' listen to more according to what consensus says is good or I know is on some level genuinely commendable, but that doesn't seize me with a great urge to listen to it like it maybe once did:Darkthrone's black metal materialIldjarnEmperor - In the Nightside EclipseGorgutsImmolation after the first albumBurzum - FilosofemEntombedDeath - HumanCynic - FocusIron MaidenGodfleshAmbient musicStravinsky

Sorry, only just seen the PM you sent me, music lover. I can contribute a few scripts/playlists, and I could, feasibly, record them, though I'm not certain of the quality of the recording. I'm generally busy with music at the moment (I have a million and one ideas floating around), but could easily set aside time for this project.

Great. I appreciate that everyone is always going to be busy with their own work/studies/projects. However, I do think that if a few us pool together our time, resources and energy we should be able to put together something that will be of real lasting value. Email me some script drafts/ideas at info@hiarctow.com and i'll take a look at them.